PEARL — Two Romanian men alleged to be involved in a sophisticated on-line sales scam have been arrested in Mississippi, according to Attorney General Jim Hood.

Paul Moraru-Rogoza, 37, and Gicu Oprea, 50, both of whose last known residence is in Lafayette, La., were arrested today in Pearl following a joint investigation conducted by the Pearl Police Department and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Division.
Moraru-Rogoza and Oprea are accused of participating in on-line sales scams where victims visit on-line shopping and auction websites such as eBay and Craigslist, but are directed to spoofed sites or look-a-like sites to conduct transactions of the items they are interested in. The scam continues as the buyer communicates with the alleged seller, usually through email, and asked to wire payment to an alleged representative of the websites until the items are delivered. Moraru-Rogoza and Oprea are charged with multiple counts of fraudulently using others identity, using fictitious ID’s and communications fraud.
Moraru-Rogoza is charged with 14 counts of communications fraud and one count fraudulent use of identity, and faces up to 75 years behind bars (five years each count). Oprea is charged with one count of communications fraud and one county fraudulent use of identity, and faces up to 10 years behind bars. No bond has been set as of this time.

Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to contact Investigator Richie McCluskey with the AG’s Consumer Protection Division at 601-359-4230.
As with all cases, the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.